Public Health

‘The pressure is on the recruitment side’: Wage gap a challenge for Algonquin Family Health Team

Chief Executive Officer Janine van den Heuvel says the Algonquin Family Health Teams' has largely managed to avert staffing shortages and turmoil caused by a steep wage gap in the community health sector – so far.

‘It’s not about greed, it’s about need’: Wage gap reduces patient access at primary care clinic

Amanda Rainville, a nurse practitioner and executive director at a rural primary care clinic in Capreol, Ont., says she feels the impact of the wage gap in the community health sector on a daily basis.

Wage gap boosts ‘make it that much harder to recruit’

Competition for qualified staff willing to work on the front lines of the community support services is growing fiercer, says Janet Williams, Vice President of Human Resources, CHATS-Community & Home Assistance to Seniors.

Closing the gap: The urgent need to support Ontario’s community health workers

Without action, we will see services cut, wait times grow longer, and more overcrowding in our emergency departments and hospitals – all at a time when the impact of the trade war could increase demand for community health services, including mental health supports.

Community oversight essential to improving primary care in Ontario

It’s time to roll up our sleeves and choose to build a primary care system that can truly stand as the foundation for Ontario’s health and social systems.

HPV vaccination more than just women’s health issue

Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination historically has been framed as a women’s health topic, but a gender-neutral approach to prevention may boost health benefits for both females and males.

LifeLabs strike highlights risks of foreign ownership in Canadian health care

The months-long strike at British Columbia’s LifeLabs has raised questions about foreign ownership of medical services and Canadians’ health data.

Who’ll be Canada’s next Chief Public Health Officer? You should care

We need someone who learns from the past, applies the precautionary principle, engages with evolving science from multiple disciplines, and earns public trust by speaking hard truths.

Canada’s next government must prioritize perinatal mental health

Perinatal mental health should remain a political priority for the next government. There is substantial urgency to act so that people at risk can get the help they need.

The simple metal box that could change the world

This quiet, repairable metal air cleaner is an inexpensive long-term disease prevention tool for public spaces.

Managing measles better (and cheaper) with family physician home visits

After many years of near absence, measles is back, and public health is scrambling to control its spread. It's time to rethink our strategies for care.

Vaccine safety, politics and the nocebo effect

The nocebo effect has an important role to play in vaccine uptake and safety. We must vigorously counter the misinformation and political spin that helps to fuel the accelerating vaccine concern vortex.

How health care works in Canada: What to know ahead of the federal election

With voters heading to the polls on April 28, we figured it’s time for a refresher on how health policy is made and where the parties stand.

Ontario must address the autism crisis. 60,000 children are waiting for care

Despite billions allocated for autism services, many families are still waiting – sometimes for years. To fix Ontario’s autism services, we should redirect resources toward programs that have been proven to work.

With skyrocketing cost of living, now is the time for Ontario to opt into pharmacare

With the cost of living skyrocketing in Ontario, our patients continue to make difficult decisions – whether to pay for food, rent or medications.

Without an independent COVID inquiry, we are doomed to ‘rinse and repeat’ past errors

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is the biggest global health-related disaster in living memory. Yet, Canadian governments have refused to hold an independent COVID-19 inquiry into the pandemic response.

To make health care better, we must hold on to our rage

We have perhaps gotten too used to hearing about health care underfunding and staffing issues. But we can't afford to stop talking about it.

New models of care are nice but funding is what we need

By aligning compensation for primary care professionals with the value they provide and ensuring fair recognition of their contributions, the health-care system can build a stronger, more equitable foundation moving forward.

Why health care should be the ballot box issue this election

Canadians have a lot to worry about right now. But as we vote in the government that will see us through this unprecedented time, health care must be core to the government agenda.

Health care and the Canadian election: What experts are hoping to hear

Canadian health-care leaders will be listening closely to what our federal politicians have to say on the campaign trail. This is what they hope to hear from candidates this election.